Property Management Software - What makes good software?

Assuming I can find some property software that has the features I need, and that's a big assumption but I'll run with it for now, then the next thing I have to think about is the quality of the software. I think it's worth spending a little time on what I expect before getting down to business on specific property software applications.

I'm quite lucky in that I get along well with computer software. I use lots of software packages in my day job and because of this I've become pretty IT literate. I think it's important that all software has the following qualities. I'll jot them down as a list and then I'll add expand on each one below.


Easy to use
Reliable
Doesn't interfere with the rest of the computer
Easy to get data in and out in lots of different ways

There's more I'm sure but I can add them in when I think of them.

Easy to use and reliable
Ideally you should be able to hit the ground running and not have to bother with the manual. Especially if you're not new to property management and know the ropes of letting pretty well. The software should know what the landlord wants/needs and provide it in a clear and uncluttered way. I like fiddling to learn, other are different but the manual should only be needed as a last resort. For me at least.

Reliability is a must.
Crappy software that crashes is out the window. As is outdated interfaces. If the software looks good I like to use it. If I like using it I'll learn to get the best out of it. I'll even evangelize about it to other landlords. It's silly of me I know but I want modern interfaces. Something like the Office 2007 look and feel for example. I know it takes a bit of effort to implement such interfaces and while one could argue that the effort could have been spend on more features I prefer to think a polished interface is indicative of a polished product.

Doesn't interfere with the rest of the computer
If you've ever tried to uninstall Norton AntiVirus (although I've read the latest version is okay - too late for me Symantec, I'm on McAfee) then you'll know how much time and energy can be wasted, not to mention frustration and stress levels going through the roof, on removing poorly written software or dealing with its side effects. Software that interferes with the computer is such a problem for most computer users. One of the main attraction for me of web apps, like Google docs, is they pretty much leave your computer alone. Once you set up an account you're set and they back up your data too so no need to worry about your hard drive crashing. Speed can be an issue but if the web software is developed correctly then it's not really a problem. I think I'll come back to this type of online software application more in future posts.

Finally, I don't want to be retyping lots of data. A good Import facility is essential. I guess many of us have lots of financial records in Excel. Wouldn't it be great to be able to import it into a property management system and let that do the tax calculations and electronically submit the return? I'm sure MYOB or Quicken can do that already but I need the property management side catered for to. But, if it can't do the tax itself maybe it can export the financial data in a format the big accounting packages can read. Being able to get your data out is important too. Not just for the purposes of the tax example but also if you decide to change your management software a year or two down the tracks.